Just couldn’t understand the attraction. Whereas the plotline of short stories like Connell’s The Most Dangerous Game was immediately suspenseful, the meandering prose of Shakespeare’s Sonnet 65 befuddled me.

What’s worse: I had to memorize the sonnet!

But, as with so many things when one ages from boy/girl to man/woman, my tastes in literature evolved.

Today, I seek out poetry in my weekly visits to the library. Not necessarily over other categories of literature, but on equal footing with a good memoir or classics novel.

I don’t remember the precise turning point. It could have been in my early 20s, when I stumbled across a book of poetry by one of my childhood author-heroes, Ray Bradbury.

I think I was stunned that the same man who could write The Illustrated Man and Dandelion Wine would also take pains (in my view) to write poetry.

After the initial shock, I bought the book. Not the greatest of poets, I thought. But, the impact had been felt. So, I went back and picked up my old college textbook of poetry and flipped through it, selectively reading where the pages landed.

I was intrigued. Still, reading poetry wasn’t part of my regular literature diet.

I don’t know what it was going on in his personal or professional life, what he had just been witness to in recent days, or simply what particular moment of empathy had triggered a well of emotion. But, as he closed with a reading from Carl Sandburg’s monumental workThe People, Yes he his voice began choking as he read.

Yet, rather than pause, take a deep breath, and carry on with his normal, ironic, acerbic sing-song, he plowed forward for what seemed like an eternity but was probably only 4-5 minutes.

Nearly at tears, nearly unable to speak, his near-wail of Sandburg’s powerful words was beyond moving. I was near the front of the room that was absolutely standing-room-only, packed to the gills.

And, as he finished the final words, the room rose up nearly simultaneously on-cue with a wave of riotous, appreciative applause – one of the most incredible standing ovations I’ve ever seen or been a part of. I’ll never forget it.

The final turning point was during my travels to China.

While seeking some connection back to familiar roots one afternoon while on one of my early weeks-long extended solo trips to Shanghai, I was browsing through the available videos in iTunesU.